Article: Be still and know that I am God | Rev. Lalachan Abraham

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (Psalm 46:10 NLT)
One of the great and familiar chapters in the Bible is Psalm 46. It’s filled with promises about the protection and security that we find in God. The whole thing is beautiful. But in the middle of the Psalm there is a phrase that has captured attention since it was written: “Be still and know that I am God.” Because God is in control we can be still and trust him for our future.
I don’t know what we’re going to face coming days and weeks. You don’t, either. But I can already tell you what God wants you to do: ““Be still, and know that I am God “–The word “Be Still” in the English dictionary can mean not moving, and being quiet and more specifically in this context “stop fighting, “or ‘stop fearing’ and acknowledge who your God Is— be in awe.
This command—“be still”—forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. The word “be still” is the Hebrew word “rapha,” which is also the root word of “raphah”— the Hebrew word for “healing.” Your healing is found when you are at rest in God. Be still because of what you know about God. It is “God’s past” that provides calm for “our future.” Know that he is God! Know it, not merely intellectually, but practically, spiritually, and sensitively. God is the friend of quietness. When all the noise is gone there is only God.
Many people are intimidated by silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in stillness; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… When you need strength and help, let go and rest in God, your refuge. You can hear the voice of God when silence reigns in the mind. In the silence of the heart God speaks. He is your God. He is the ruler of kingdoms of this earth and the all-powerful Creator of the Universe.
Bible says “In the presence of your enemies, the Lord prepares a table “(Ps. 23:5). When David first begins Psalm 23, He speaks about God in the third person. But when David goes through “the valley of the shadow of death,” he speaks to God in the second person. He starts talking to God directly (“…I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4–5). When you are going through a trial or a valley season, it’s a time of closeness with the Lord. When you’re going through a trial, talk to Him. He loves to hear your voice. God wants to talk to us, but we have to be ready and available to listen.
When we are free from outside noise or corona turbulence, we are able to hear the still small voice of God’s Spirit as he comes to comfort and guide us through our trials. Some of the noise we experience that could be blocking our ability to feel God’s presence is our own fear and worry. Along with busyness come the fearful and anxious thoughts we hold onto. It’s been stated that we have upwards of 50,000 thoughts a day. Those thoughts aren’t always constructive. When we learn to change our thoughts from fear to faith, we are more able to feel God’s love because we are in harmony with him. When we have faith in God, the noise and turbulence is replaced by a sweet melody of peace. Bible says “In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15)
Let go, and know that He is God. Let go of our control, and know that God is in control. This is the first step to serenity in your life. Whenever we face out-of-control situations, we tend to go to one of two extremes. For some of you, the more out-of-control your life gets, the harder you try to control it. Some of you do the exact opposite: You just give up. Both of those reactions to stress are wrong. They don’t work. Instead of being a victim or becoming hyper controlling, you need to seek God in prayer and surrender your will to God’s will. The number one reason you’re under stress is because you’re in conflict with God. You’re trying to control things that only God can control.
Our minds are like a computer. They know nothing except what they have been fed. And, just like a computer, our mind can be affected by bad data or viruses. Fortunately, we have access to top-powerful antivirus software – the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17 says “arm ourselves with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Jesus said in John 6:63 “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”. In order to control our mouth, we must first control our thoughts. II Corinthians 10:5 says “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”
Remember Knowing God is the most valuable knowledge in the world. Knowing God is the most wonderful experience a human being can have. Knowing God sets everything else in the world in order. It prioritizes life and transforms everything! And it all starts by being still, so we can know that God is God. Often time, the busyness and anxiety of life makes it impossible for us to truly hear what God is trying to tell us. We can learn to be still as we pray, read scripture, go for a walk, meditate or give ourselves time to ponder free from interruption or disturbance.
Thoughts are the seeds planted in the garden of the mind. Proverbs 23:7says: “As a man think in his heart, so is he.” We can’t stop the enemy from bringing thoughts to our mind, but we can control what we dwell on. We need to choose to think God’s thoughts. We must not let frustration, fear, and bitterness or resentment rules our hearts, but rather let “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things..” (Philippians 4:7-8).
The more we active, busy and forceful our external and worldly life is, the greater the necessity for let go and rest in God, in silence. Quiet moments bring you closer to God. Quiet moment’s give you access to heed the voice of God which allows you to function perfectly. Remember that all depths are silent, depths of space as well as depths of thought. To be calm does not mean that the storm is no longer all around you, it means that the storm is no longer within you. The storms may still rage, but you are free from the effects of them. They no longer trouble you because you know in whom you have trusted. When conflicts come and we are untroubled by them because of our faith in God, only then can we know peace.

Keep in mind the sun does not rise and the sun does not set. It is an illusion. Instead, the Sun stays still, steady and bright, and as the Earth turns to face the sun, that is when the morning comes. The darkness of night comes when the Earth turns away. It is the same with us. In our trials, when we turn to face the Son of God, who is steady and bright, just like the Earth, we are filled with light. If instead we choose to turn away from him, the darkness of night will surely come. Choose to face the light. 1 John 1:5 says “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” We can take comfort in letting go and resting in God to provide help, strength and safety. Remember “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever (Isaiah 32:17)
Prayer is an appointment with God. Out of the quietness with God, power is generated that turns the spiritual reality of your life. When you pray, you begin to feel the sense of being commission and empowered, that the divine compulsion is upon you. If you face God in prayer and silence, God will speak to you. Then you will know that you are nothing. It is only when you realize your nothingness, your emptiness, that God can fill you with Himself. Souls of prayer are souls of great silence. The storm-swept lake reflects no stars, and the perpetually busy, energetic and unquiet life, like “the troubled sea which cannot rest,” Only in quiet waters do thing mirror themselves undistorted. “Be still and know that I am God,” is not just a saying; it is a state of being. As we learn to be still and trust in God, we come to know and understand that we are God’s children. We are never alone, never unaided and never forgotten. He will come to us. All it takes is for us to be still.

Rev.Lalachan Abraham

(Executive Director, Transformation India movement)

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